Hypodermic syringe



Patented May ig, 19%.

UNITED STATES JAMES T. GREELEY, F NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

HYPODERMIC SYBINGE.

Application nled February 26, 1927. Serial No. 171,131.

The invention relates to a liypoderinic syringe composed of two elements, one of which is a liquid-tight container in which a charge of liquid intended for hypoderinic medication is enclosed, the other element being a double-pointed hypodermic dispensingr needle supported by the container and adapted to be located in position to conduct liquid therefrom to a sub-cutaneous point, when in pressure is exerted on the charge to force it through the needle.

The invention is embodied in certain improvements in the container element and in a complete syringe including the two elem ments, the objects of the improvements being as hereinafter stated.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specitication,

Figure 1 shows in perspective a container element embodying tie improvements hereinafter described.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows in longitudinal section a complete syringe embodying my improvements, as it appears before being conditioned for use.

Figure 4 shows in longitudinal section the syringe conditioned for use.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, omitting the plug hereinafter described, and showing a portion of a container-charging needle.

Figure 6 shows in. perspective the reinforcing tube hereiiiafter described.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The liquid-tight container element shown by Figures 1 to 5, includes a relatively thin collapsible wall portion 12, and a thicker wall portion 13, said port-ions constitutinv a liquid-tight container. They are preferably separably formed, the portion 12 being a thin walled pouch, and the thicker portion a head filling the open end of the pouch and secured thereto in any suitable way to form a liquid-tiglit connection between the portions. The portion 12 may be of vulcanized rubber, sufficiently flexible to permit said portion to be collapsed, and prepared to withstand a sterilizing temperature of from 120 to 150 degrees centigrade, without deterioration. The thicker portion 13 is of a material prepared to withstand the abovementioned sterilizing temperatures, and to render said portion viscous and self-sealing, so that 1t is penetrable by a charging needle 14: (Figure 5), and adapted to automaticallj,1 close the puncture indicated by the brokeii line X in Figure 5, when the charging um dle is withdrawn, and thus autoinaticalr close the puncture and hernietically seal the container.

The thicker portion 13 has an exposed end face and a body portion of suliicient area to c receive the charging needle 14, so that said needle may be inserted in and forced through the thicker portion at one side of the septum 13 as indicated by Figure 5.

The charging needle 14 may be a hypoderinic needle, pointed at one end and connected at its opposite end with a source of liquid supply, the needle being adapted to conduct liquid through the thicker portion 15, when pressure is exerted on the liquid, aii` having been exhausted from the container before the charging operation, by means which l have devised. The lumen of the charging needle may be somewhat larger than that of an ordinary hypodermic needle.

The thicker wall portion 13 is provided with a socket formed as rdescribed later, to laterally support a double-pointed dispensing hypoderinic needle 15, inserted therein, and with an integral liquid-tight septum 13a forming the inner end of the socket and adapted to support the needle endwise, and to be punctured, as indicated by Figure 4, by a forcible endwise movement of the needle.

The socket may be formed in any suitable way to laterally support the needle above the septum 13a and preferably includes a 'recess 16, formed in the thicker wall portion 13, and a rigid reinforcing tube 17, inserted in the recess, the bore of the tube beingl formed to receive the inner end portion of the dispensing needle, and permit the point thereof to rest on the septum, as shown by Figure 3.

The tube 17 is preferably elongated to project outwardly from the wall portion 13, and pointed at its outer end, the object being to enable the tube to impale and engage a plug-18 of soft vulcanized rubber. Said plug is adapted to engage t-lie open end of a. protecting sheath 19` preferably of glass, the sheath being closed at its outer end and formed to enclose the projecting portion of the dispensing needle 15. The outer end portion of the plug 18 is preferably closed and includes a septum 18'A covering the outer end of the tube 17, and ada ted to be punctured by the inner end o the dispensing needle. A recess 2O in alinement with the bore of the tube 17, may be formed in the outer end of the plug to guide the operator in inserting the needle.

The arrangement is such that When the container is charged and in the condltion shown by Figure 2, 21 designating the charge, the needle 15 may be inserted in the socket until its inner end rests lightly on the septum 13xx the usual enlargement 15' on the needle, intended to be grasped `by a thumb and finger, being spaced from the plug 18, as shown by Figure 3. The sheath 15 is then engaged with the plug 18, the length of the sheath being such that its closed end does not touch the outer end of the needle. The syringe thus conditioned may be marketed as an article of manufacture. The user, after removing the sheath, exerts endwise pressure on the needle 15, to force the inner end of the needle through the septum 13 and then, by collapsing the wall portion 12, ejects the charge through the needle. The drawing shows the container considerably enlarged. The capacity of the container is preferably such that it is adapted to hold a charge suicient for a single operation only, and in that case, the syringe may be discarded after the operation.

It will now be seen that the container element issterilizable, is chargeable without exposure .of the charge to contamination, is constructed so that its contents can be expressed into tissues Without danger of contamination, and is hermetically and instantaneously closed, when charged, in such manner that the charge is at no time in danger, during handling and transportation, of

exposure to dust and air contamination.

Not only is the container adapted to protect serum or vaccines from contamination from the moment of its sterilization to the moment'of its use, but the method of filling offersd slight, if any, opportunity for contamination either by unsterile air orl dust. The sealing of the element, when filled, is automatic, instantaneous and hermetic. This seal cannot be broken by accidentor rough handling without, at the same time, destroyin the container itself.

l` he thicker wall portionA 13 is preferably a plug of pure rubber of such viscosity and elasticity or resistance that a puncture formed therein by a charging needle 14, is immediately closed and sealed when the needle is Withdrawn. Said plug fits closely in the mouth of the rubber bag formed by the portion 12, and may be united to said mouth by rubber cement.

The puncture at' is preferably formed before the plug 18 is a plied, and is arranged to be covered by sai plug.

I claim:

1. A hypodermic syringe element composed of a liquid-tight container having a.

relatively thin collapsible wall portion, and a thicker wall portion of puncturable and self-sealing material, provided with a socket formed to receive a dispensing needle, and with a liquid-tight septum at the inner end of the socket, adapted to support the dispensing needle endwise, and to be punctured by a forcible endwise movement of said needle, the thicker portion having an exposed penetrable end face and a body portion of suliicient area to be punctured by a charging needle forced through the thicker portion at one side of said septum, the material of the thicker portion being adapted to automatically close a puncture made by a charging needle and hermetically seal the container when the charging needle is withdrawn.

2. A hypodermic syringe element as specified by claim 1, said socket including a rigid reinforcing tube inserted in the thicker portion, and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a compressible and penetrable plug impaled on the projecting portion of the tube, and adapted to engage the mouth of a necdle-protecting sheath.

3. A hypodermic syringe element as Specified by claim 1, said socket including a rigid reinforcing tube inserted in the thicker portion, and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a compressible and penctrable plug impaled on the projecting portion of the tube, and adapted to engage the mouth of a needle-protecting sheath, the outer end of the plug being closed and provided with a recess in alinement with the tube, adapted to gugde a dispensing needle to the bore of the tu e.

4. A hypodermic syringe comprising a liquid-tight container having a relatively thin collapsible wall portion and a thicker puncturable Wall portion, provided with a socket and with a liquid-tight septum at the inner end of the socket integral with the thicker portion, a charge of liquid hermetically sealed in the container, a double-pointed hypodermic dispensing needle inserted at one. end in the socket and supported longitudinally by the septum, in condition to penetrate the septum and liberate a charge therein, a plug fixed to and projecting outwardly from the thicker wall portion, the needle projecting outwardly from the plug, and a needle-protecting sheath engaged with the plu and enclosing lthe projecting portion of t e needle.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my 

